AP Gov Unit 1

Natural Rights

Rights inherent to all people (life, liberty, property/pursuit of happiness) that cannot be taken away by government.

Social Contract

Agreement where people give up some freedoms in exchange for government protection and order.

Popular Sovereignty

Political power comes from the consent of the people through elections and participation.

Rule of Law

Principle that no one, including government officials, is above the law.

Limited Government

Government powers are restricted by a constitution to protect individual rights.

Unitary System

A system where the central government holds all authority.

Confederation

A loose alliance of states with little or no central power (Articles of Confederation).

Federal System

A system where power is shared between national and state governments (U.S. Constitution).

Direct Democracy

Citizens directly vote on laws and policies.

Participatory Democracy

Broad citizen involvement in politics, with majority rule guiding decisions.

Pluralist Democracy

Politics are shaped by competition among interest groups.

Elite Democracy

Small group of wealthy or educated elites make most political decisions.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored state power and demanded a Bill of Rights.

Brutus No. 1 (1787)

Anti-Federalist essay arguing that a large republic would threaten liberty and lead to elite control.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who wanted a strong central government.

Federalist No. 10 (1787, Madison)

Essay arguing that factions are inevitable but a large republic controls them by preventing any single one from dominating.

Articles of Confederation (1781–1789)

The first U.S. government, with a weak national Congress and no executive or judicial branch.

Shays’ Rebellion (1786–87)

Farmer uprising in Massachusetts showing the inability of the Articles to maintain order.

Great Compromise (1787)

Created a bicameral legislature with House based on population and Senate with equal representation.

3/5 Compromise (1787)

Counted three out of five enslaved persons for taxation and representation.

Slave Trade Compromise (1787)

Allowed Congress to ban the international slave trade after 1808.

Electoral College

Body of electors chosen by states to indirectly elect the president.

Bill of Rights (1791)

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual liberties.

Enumerated Powers

Powers given specifically to the federal government (e.g., coin money, declare war).

Reserved Powers

Powers kept by the states (e.g., education, elections).

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by both state and federal governments (e.g., taxing, enforcing laws).

Supremacy Clause (Art. VI)

Federal law is superior to state law when conflicts occur.

Necessary & Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers.

10th Amendment (1791)

States that powers not given to the federal government are reserved for states or the people.

Separation of Powers

Division of authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

System where each branch can limit the powers of the others.

Judicial Review

Power of courts to declare laws or government actions unconstitutional (Marbury v. Madison, 1803).